The invention relates to a belt offering device with a deflectable offering arm for a safety belt in a vehicle, particularly in a two-door vehicle, such as a two-seater. The invention further relates to a three-point automatic belt with such a belt offering device.
German patent document DE 25 57 316 A1 discloses an arrangement of a three-point automatic belt for a front seat in a two-door vehicle having rear seats. A belt reel is thereby arranged in the region of a rigid vehicle side wall. A rotationally mounted carrier bracket is furthermore arranged in the longitudinal vehicle direction at a rigid vehicle part, which bracket receives a fixed point of a hip belt part. When the belt is rolled up completely, an end guided by a loop-around fitting and anchored to the carrier bracket holds the carrier bracket in a front tilt position. When this end is pressed back, the carrier bracket folds into a rear position releasing the boarding to the rear seats.
European patent document EP 0 181 745 A2 further discloses a safety belt adjustment device with an offering arm that is mounted in a rotatable manner for a front seat in a motor vehicle which has rear seats. An end of the safety belt is hereby fastened to a free end of the rotatable offering arm, which can be pivoted by a rotational drive, in particular a linkage. The main part of the rotatable offering arm is arranged in an offset manner, whereby the rotatable offering arm pivots into a position below a door opening inclined to the rear region. A boarding of the rear seats in a motor vehicle is thereby possible without hindrance. In a further position of the rotatably mounted offering arm, it abuts this with an upright position of the front seat. The rotatable offering arm as part of the safety belt is designed in a flexible manner in a central region and adapts to the wearer of the belt.
A further safety belt adjusting device for a two-door motor vehicle having rear seats is known from European patent document EP 0 181 160 A2. The device comprises a offering arm that can be rotated via a rotational drive, in particular a linkage, which can be pivoted in the direction of a rear region when the door is opened, and into an opposite direction when the door is closed. In the upright position of a backrest of a front seat, the rotatable offering arm abuts along the backrest. When the backrest is inclined to the front, the rotatable offering arm pivots below a door opening region, whereby a boarding to the rear seats is freed.
One object of the invention is to provide an improved belt offering device for a safety belt in a vehicle.
A further object of the invention is to provide a three-point automatic belt with improved boarding and exit possibilities and improved operating and wear comfort.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the belt offering device according to the invention, in particular a three-point automatic belt in a vehicle, which comprises a belt reel, onto which a belt strap can be rolled. The belt reel is fastened to a fixed vehicle part, and the belt strap is held at the end opposite the belt reel by an offering arm mounted in a pivotal manner at a pivot point of a seat or B pillar. It can be inserted into a belt buckle with a belt buckle part arranged at a fastening point in the draw-out region in the drawn-out state. According to the invention, a belt strap part of the at least partially rollable belt strap forms the offering arm mounted in a rotatable manner.
By the arrangement of the deflectable offering arm as a belt strap part of the belt strap, the number of components for realizing a deflectable offering arm is reduced considerably, whereby a simple construction of the belt offering device is given. Furthermore, such a belt offering device can be assembled in a simple manner and requires less installation space. Due to this, the belt offering device can be produced and mounted with less effort and is thus cost-effective.
The offering arm that can be deflected via the pivot point is preferably designed as a partially stiffened belt strap part of the belt strap from the pivot point in one plane. The belt strap part is preferably formed stiffened from the pivot point of for example about 20 cm in the longitudinal extension of the belt, and thus forms a lower stiff belt surface extending from the pivot point. The length of the stiffened belt strap part can thereby be given out freely. The length of the stiffened belt strap part can in particular be preset in dependence on the vehicle type, the arrangement and adjustability of the vehicle seat. Such an embodiment of the offering arm without additional components as a stiffened element of the belt strap itself represents a solution that can be produced and mounted in a particularly simple manner and which is cost-efficient.
For achieving a good wear comfort, the belt strap part is flexible at least in sections normal to the belt surface and is completely stiffened in the width extension and formed in a largely stiff manner against the direction of the belt buckle. That is, the belt strap part forming the offering arm is formed in a flexible manner normal to the belt surface and thus in the withdrawal direction, in particular in the direction of the belt buckle, and is formed in a stiffened manner in the width and thus in the pivot direction of the pivotal offering arm and against the direction of the belt buckle. The offering arm can hereby be pivoted in a simple and safe manner and adapts well to the belt wearer.
A possible embodiment provides to form the belt strap part forming the offering arm of a number of stiffened lamellae, in particular plastic lamellae. Depending on the embodiment, the plastic lamellae can be applied to the belt strap, in particular sprayed. The plastic lamellae are thereby applied on the side of the belt strap turned away from the body of the belt wearer. Alternatively, the plastic lamellae themselves can form the belt strap part or be introduced into a flexible, in particular textile belt strap. The lamellae are thereby especially formed by a rigid polymeric plastics, e.g., a thermoplastic resin, in particular polyethylene.
The plastic lamellae conveniently have different lengths in the longitudinal extension of the belt strap. In particular, the first plastic lamella arranged at the side of the pivot point has a larger length than the other plastic lamellae. A safe pivoting and moving of the offering arm is enabled hereby. The further plastic lamellae arranged on the opposite side of the pivot point have for example a largely short length, whereby these abut the belt wearer in a simple manner especially in the hip region with a flexible connection with each other when the belt is completely tensioned, rolled out and applied.
In a further embodiment, the last plastic lamella of the belt strap part of the belt strap part arranged at the side opposite of the pivot point has a chamfered closure edge. This enables a simple and safe guidance and a safe position of the belt strap.
For the flexible design of the belt strap in the direction of the normal of the belt surface, the plastic lamellae are connected to each other in a flexible manner in a simple embodiment. The flexible connection with the plastic lamellae sprayed onto the belt strap is for example formed by the in particular textile belt strap. Every other suitable flexible connection can also be provided. The plastic lamellae can for example be designed in the manner of a chain of stiff chain members with flexible chain connections.
The stiffened belt strap part preferably deflects into a forward end position which can be comfortably gripped by the vehicle occupant, in particular pivoting or tilting position. A rotation of the upper body or a rotation of the shoulder region of the vehicle occupant is thereby avoided in a safe manner when gripping and applying the belt.
The stiffened belt strap part preferably deflects into the forward end position that can be gripped in a simple manner when occupying the seat and/or when an ignition key is inserted and/or via a door contact switch, which senses a closing of the corresponding vehicle door via electrical contacts and/or sensors, possibly in a time-controlled manner. By the deflection of the stiffened belt strap part into the forward grippable end position, the vehicle occupant is preferably animated to apply the belt. The deflection of the belt strap part forming the offering arm can thereby take place in a time-controlled manner. A deflection of the belt strap part which is too early (the vehicle occupant has not yet taken up the place) or too late (the vehicle occupant sits and the vehicle is already driving) can be avoided.
In a possible embodiment, the deflection mechanism is coupled to a seat occupation recognition, for example in a mechanical or electronic manner. The seat occupation recognition can thereby for example be a pressure or acceleration sensor integrated into the seat surface, which safely identifies a seat occupation by the penetration depth that can be determined.
The stiffened belt strap part can furthermore be deflected in such a manner that an unimpeded boarding of the seat is possible. The belt strap part hereby deflects into an intermediate or boarding position. In the boarding position of the three-point automatic belt, a backrest of the seat is for example positioned in an upright manner. The offering arm is also positioned in a vertical position, so that the belt strap proceeds vertical to a large extent from the pivot point in the direction of the belt roller or the deflection point.
For unimpeded entry or access for example to a storage compartment behind the seat and/or to a rear space and/or to the rear seat, the belt strap part mounted in a rotatable manner deflects into a rearward end position in dependence on a backrest folded forwards, for example in a position below the opening region of a vehicle door, wherein the offering arm is in one plane with the seat surface.
In a further development of the invention, a belt buckle part formed for example as a buckle tongue is arranged lying on the stiffened belt strap part, which can be guided into a belt buckle and engaged therein when the belt is applied. An additional stopper usually provided in the belt strap can hereby be omitted.
The offering arm can conveniently be pivoted in an electromotive driven manner. The electromotive drive is for example designed as a linear drive and/or a rotational drive. The offering arm is formed as a deflectable or rotatable offering arm in a possible embodiment and is for example fixed at the seat itself via the pivot point forming the rotational axis or at the lower region of the fixed vehicle part or the B pillar and mounted in a rotatable manner.
Depending on the embodiment of the drive, the belt strap part formed as an offering arm can additionally be arranged for the deflection at the seat in a linear movable manner or at the lower region of the fixed vehicle part. The deflectable offering arm can thereby be arranged in a manner that is movable to and fro in one direction, in particular in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle or of the vehicle seat.
The electromotive drive for deflecting the stiffened belt strap part is preferably formed as a linear and/or as a rotary drive depending on the design and executing movement.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.